This invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the presence of liquid, and in particular to an apparatus for detecting the liquid level in the basement floor drain of a building.
The problem of water and/or sewage in the basements of urban dwellings is both common and chronic. The problem arises for a variety of reasons, including sewer backup, sump pump failure and leaking appliances. The inventor is aware of no commercially available devices for dealing with the problem of basement flooding.
A search of the patent literature reveals a variety of fluid level detectors or indicators. Examples of such devices are found in Canadian Pat. Nos. 860,520, which issued to J. Lerner et al on Jan. 5, 1971, 993,538, which issued to H. L. Schneider on July 20, 1976, 1,068,373, which issued to W. G. Lolber on Dec. 18, 1979 and 1,074,055, which issued to R. L. Ringler on Mar. 25, 1980. The devices disclosed by these patents are unsuitable for use in a basement, and offer no solution to the problem of floor drain overflow.